Video: Cornstarch on a subwoofer experiment

Want to see something cool? Here’s a simple experiment on fluids and low frequency sounds using a water and cornstarch mixture and a subwoofer.

What You Need:

• A metal sheet
• A subwoofer
• A track with strong bass sounds
• A pack of cornstarch
• Water

What to Do:

1. Mix 1 part water to 2 parts cornstarch. Keep adding water (or cornstarch) until you get a consistency like thick white glue. Different brands of cornstarch have different consistencies.
2. Place the mixture on a metal sheet on top of the subwoofer.
3. Play a track that has strong bass sounds.
4. Be sure to clean up after.

How it works:

The subwoofer is responsible for reproducing low frequency audio waves. When these strong audio waves hit the metal sheet, they ripple, affecting the cornstarch mixture. Different frequencies of varying loudness would create ripples of different shapes and sizes.

Warning:

Have an adult present when performing this experiment. Avoid spilling the cornstarch mixture on the subwoofer as you can cause a short circuit and damage the subwoofer. Listening to very loud music can damage your ears.

Source: Gizmodo